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Food/Recipes

book recommendations?

19 replies

LeBFG · 03/04/2013 09:19

I know this has been done a lot....but here goes.

I love cooking but end up getting most recipes from the internet. So I want to treat myself to a few good cookbooks from amazon. THe ones I already have are Mary Berry, Deliah's collection, Good Housekeeping, Hugh FW and Fay Ripley's WHat's for dinner? Of these I invariably use Mary Berry. DH is a food tradionalist! So def no curries. I have a toddler to woo and I like to bake cakes and bread too.

Any suggestions?

OP posts:

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LeBFG · 03/04/2013 11:14

Is the Good Housekeeping any good? I've seen older versions and the recipes weren't very special. A friend recommends Jamie Oliver: any particular one book you like?

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 03/04/2013 11:14

If you like baking, have you got Nigellas Hiw to be a domestic goddess?

Curioustiger · 03/04/2013 17:15

I am very keen on Lorraine Pascale ATM. Every single recipe is delicious. I have all three but my favourite is the one with fast in the title (although tbh they're not that fast).

JiltedJohnsJulie · 03/04/2013 17:46

Have you tried your library too? If I'm a bit lacking in inspiration I usually head there

JiltedJohnsJulie · 03/04/2013 17:56

Forgot Aggie's cookbook. I bought it recently from the works and it was about £3. Some good family meals in there, especially if your DH is fussy. You are working on that aren't you

LeBFG · 03/04/2013 18:29

Thanks for the recommendations. I've had a look at the contents of Pascale's fast book and it looks like she is fan of the old chilli pepper. So no doos I afraid. I've always been tempted by Nigella but my hairdresser (! yeah I know) said her recipes were all throw in a bit of this and voila sort of thing i.e. they lack precision esp. wrt baking....is that really the case? Sorry can't go to book shop or library as I live overseas.

OP posts:

mamij · 03/04/2013 19:44

The BBC Good Food range is quite good. Recipes are simple to follow - you can get each book separately or buy a collection.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 03/04/2013 20:01

Some of Nigellas recipes are on the Internet, so maybe it could be worth trying a couple before you buy?

Curioustiger · 03/04/2013 21:22

Hello OP yes lp's recipes can be quite spicy (lots of chorizo too). I disagree with your hairdresser re nigella - I love love love her! - but think it would be good for you to look at her website first, as per jilted's suggestion, as tons of her recipes are up there. She does use a lot if ingredients, I find, which perhaps might be an issue if you're not in the UK.

Having re-read your post, if I was looking for precise and more traditional, I'd have a look at Gary Rhodes. He has a reputation for weighing everything! For simple food I also like Sam Stern (he is a kid but the boy can certainly cook!)

sashh · 04/04/2013 07:21

The silver spoon, brilliant, has recipes for everything.

LeBFG · 04/04/2013 07:49

Am very impressed with the silver spoon. Bit expensive but looks really great. I love Italian food. I'm looking at Gary Rhodes - it never occurred to me to buy one of his books - dunno why as he's been around yonks. Will go now and cogitate!

OP posts:

LeBFG · 04/04/2013 09:37

what about nigel slater. any good?

OP posts:

Curioustiger · 04/04/2013 10:11

I am not such a fan of Nigel - I think he is much better at savoury then sweet. Again I would think you could check out his recipes on BBC website. His savoury recipes seem to be focused on hero ingredients to me eg what do you do with a nice piece of belly pork or some aubergines. But I'd be interested to hear what other people think as I've only hot real fast food.

Curioustiger · 04/04/2013 10:12

I've only got real fast food. Honestly my fingers get fatter every day!

Xiaoxiong · 04/04/2013 13:28

I love Nigel Slater's Appetite and Real Fast Food. Appetite in particular is brilliant as it gives you a simple base and then loads of ways to make it different each time eg. a master recipe for a cheesy potato bake, and then 10 different flavouring variations.

I also swear by the How to cook anything app on my iphone...it's an iphone version of the full cookbook by Mark Bittman and has a similar master recipe/variations approach.

Xiaoxiong · 04/04/2013 13:35

tigerlily interesting that's your take on Nigel Slater. I think RFF is worth it just for the entire page of ways to jazz up a plain salmon fillet Also for the "things to stir into hot pasta" page which may be a bit noddy but I will always thank him for the tip to get spaghetti on, fry up some lardons and garlic, throw in breadcrumbs to toast in the bacon fat when lardons are crispy, then mix with the drained spaghetti. Dinner of kings in 10 mins.

I agree that his desserts tend to be more assembled in that book than made, but I guess most other things take longer than 30 minutes. Appetite has some great sweet recipes - I use the ones for chocolate cake, trifle and stone fruit galettes - if I want sweet baked things I often turn to Dan Lepard or the Barefoot Contessa though.

Curioustiger · 04/04/2013 14:28

I might go back to him then xiao (any excuse for a bit if a cookbook browse!) Perhaps I'm doing him an injustice.

Curioustiger · 04/04/2013 14:29

Ohhhhh have just read your other post and am getting that app right now! I love iPhone cookery apps.

Xiaoxiong · 04/04/2013 14:48

If you're vegetarian there's How to cook everything vegetarian as well which is equally good, I have both

It's a brilliant app and has little built in timers for each step.

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